Jobs For A Degree In Horticulture

College is a great way to advance your earning potential and find a job that you will love. However there are so many fields to choose from it can be hard to decide. Of course you should find something you are interested in but are your interests going to be able to sustain you? Doing some research beforehand can help you figure things out. We have looked at degrees in botany and agriculture; let’s look at the exciting field of horticulture.

Horticulture is the scientific field dedicated to cultivating and marketing ornamental plants. There are several branches of this field that lets you specialize in specific plants or products. You may find yourself working in a greenhouse or a laboratory. You may also find yourself working with farmers or maintaining a golf course or arboretum. Many times your work schedule will coincide with a plant’s life cycle so working on a farm would keep you busiest during the harvest season while a botanical garden would be busiest in the Spring and Summer. Keeping these things in mind let’s take a closer look at some of the positions.Landscape Designer
If you have an eye for aesthetics and color and like the outdoors then a landscape designer may be for you. Think of a yard as a canvas but instead of using paint you use flowers and plants to paint a scene. Landscapers must strike the right amount of plants and flowers to create landscape plans that are pleasing to the eye. Fortunately there is no license needed for these jobs either. The average pay for this job is $40,000.

Nursery Manager
No, this isn’t about babies, it is about cultivating plants in a nursery or greenhouse to sell to retail customers as well as wholesale to floral shops, grocery stores and other places that sell flowers. You would be in charge of the day-to-day operations of the facilities. Your skills would not only include knowledge of horticulture but you would need to organize people and manage resources. You would also need some financial skills as well. Training in business or human resources can be beneficial as well.

Floral Designer
If flowers are your thing then this degree can be great for you. This is one of the few careers that doesn’t require a formal education. A good eye for design and some work experience with a mentor is all you need to get started. Create a portfolio of your work so you can show your prospective clients. That being said, a degree always looks impressive and can’t hurt. While they may not offer a four year degree, many schools will offer a shorter certification you can earn. They pay isn’t great though as the average salary of $23,300.